TEAM NEWS: GONG TEAM TAKE TOP HONORS IN FREEFLY-SLALOM

The culmination of the Wingfoil World Tour Freefly-Slalom event in Leucate showcased intense racing and exceptional performance of the GONG Team.

The day commenced with all athletes navigating through two more grueling qualifying rounds before advancing to the top 13, where the crème de la crème of the event would engage in a final series of 7 races to determine the ultimate outcome. Thanks to their stellar showings in the qualifying elimination rounds, which positioned them at 1st and 2nd overall, Bastien and Julien earned preseeded berths in the quarterfinals.

Francesco, GONG Team Rider, chaired up the beach after taking the win. Photo: Samuel Cardenas, GWA Wing Foil Tour.

The GONG Team takes 3 spots in the final

Following intense battles in the last 6 races before the final, GONG Team members Julien Rattotti, Bastien Escofet, and Francesco Cappuzzo, alongside Ricardo Zorzi, found themselves competing in the event’s decisive final race. The new format, which hinges on the outcome of this last race, witnessed an impressive display from the GONG team, securing 3 out of the top 4 spots in the racing discipline even before the event concluded.

Such dominance is remarkable in a format where every individual race carries significant weight.

GONG Team Riders leading the pack. Photo: Samuel Cardenas, GWA Wing Foil Tour.

A strong team effort on finals day

Ultimately, Francesco claimed the coveted top spot for his first contest on his new gear, with Julien closely following suit. This was also the first contest with the HM107 Team Series production model for the whole GONG team. The speed and results achieved by our riders make us very happy and proud of the development of this critical piece of equipment when aiming for the top positions.

Unfortunately, Bastien faced an unexpected setback, damaging his stabilizer in a crash with another competitor during the quarterfinals, which hindered his ability to maintain control and speed in the final race. Despite his strong performance throughout the event, Bastien narrowly missed the podium, marking a bittersweet end to what was undoubtedly a standout performance.

Julien and Francesco, GONG Team Riders, racing with the new HM107 Team Series mast. Photo: Samuel Cardenas, GWA Wing Foil Tour.

With racing and freestyle events wrapped up, the weekend promises demonstrations from the athletes if wind conditions permit. Congratulations to all riders for coping with the intensity of the conditions and to our team riders, Bastien, Julien and Francesco for their remarkable performance throughout the week.